Snowy Path Watercolor

Start with these reference images:

Before you begin to paint, study the value study on this lesson and notice the white shapes. Begin painting with a sky color, adding water as you go down the page to make the value lighter. At the horizon line, start to sculpt out the white shapes with a similar color and value as the sky. Snow follows the contour of the surface that it's on.

When the first wash is dry, start to indicate the foliage area in the background, using greens to indicate evergreens and burnt sienna to show some dead foliage on the trees. Remember to leave sky holes.

Continue to work down the value scale introducing darker values to show form. Indicate tree trunks with darker values and scraping with a credit card on the lighter side of the trunks. Remember where your light source is coming from. Your cast shadows will follow the contour of the landscape.

Using your darkest values, overlay areas on the tree trunks and some foliage areas. Make twigs and branches in the snow and on some of the trees. Show some dead leaves on the path. Soften the bottom edge of your trees to make it look like it is sitting in snow. Stand back from your painting and evaluate color, values, composition, and edges.